Reminder to Vote

The May 3, 2011 Special General Election gives voters an opportunity to choose a candidate to fill the vacancy in Assembly District 4.

“It is important for voters to take advantage of the voting rights that allow them to make decisions about who holds political power,” said Jim McCauley, Placer County Registrar of Voters. “Voters who fail to practice their right to vote are allowing others to make decisions for them – and they may not be making the decision that you would.” In order to become educated on the election, you can review the sample
ballot pamphlet sent to you by the Placer County Office of Elections. Then, you need to show up and vote.

Voters have two options in casting their ballots. They can vote at the polls or by mail. You can find your polling place on the back cover of your Placer County sample ballot pamphlet, on the Placer County Office of Elections website at www.placerelections.com or by calling the Office of Elections at 530-886-5650. Polling places open at 7
AM on Election Day and close at 8 PM, allowing plenty of time for voters to stop by during the day. If a voter chooses to vote by mail, the Placer County Office of Elections needs to receive the vote-by-mail ballot request by April 26, 2011 to mail a ballot to the voter. After that date, voters will need to go to the Office of Elections at 2956 Richardson Drive to pick up a ballot over the counter. The
Office of Elections will be open 9 AM to 4 PM the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. The Office of Elections will also be open from 7 AM to 8 PM on Election Day.

For more information, please contact the Placer County Office of Elections at 530-886-5650 or toll-free in California at 1-800-824-8683, or go to their website, www.placerelections.com

Obtaining a Vote-By-Mail Ballot

Today, April 26, 2011, is the last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot be sent to you for the May 3, 2011 Special General Election. You can still fax your request today to the Office of Elections at 530-886-5688 or scan and e-mail it to election@placer.ca.gov

Voters can continue to request a vote-by-mail ballot in person at the Office of Elections through Election Day. The Office of Elections is open Monday through Friday,8 AM to 5PM; this Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 4 PM; and Election Day, 7 AM to 8 PM. If you wish to have a family member pick up a ballot for you, you will need to complete a vote-by-mail ballot request along with a note authorizing the family
member to deliver the ballot to you. The Office of Elections cannot issue the ballot without these items. Vote-by-mail ballot requests can be found on the back cover of your sample ballot booklet and on the Office of Elections website, www.placerelections.com

Returning The Vote-By-Mail Ballot

Vote-by-mail ballots must be in the possession of the Office of Elections by 8 PM on Election Day, May 3, 2011 to be counted. There are a variety of ways you can turn in your ballot: You can come to the Office of Elections to drop the ballot off at the counter during business hours, use the drive-by drop-off box outside the building, take your ballot to any polling place in Placer County on Election Day, or mail your vote-by-mail ballot allowing enough time for it to arrive by
Election Day. If you choose to mail your ballot, please remember the Office of Elections cannot accept postmarks or advise you on how long the mail will take to arrive.

The return envelope requires one first-class stamp. If you are concerned your ballot will not reach the Office of Elections on time, please use one of the other options listed above.

Don’t forget to sign and date the return envelope and print your residence address in the space provided before you seal your ballot inside.